The board of trustees at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system votes on a 2012 budget this afternoon.

Because of the budget impasse at the Capitol, MnSCU isn’t sure how much money it will get from the state next year. So MnSCU bean counters have made some assumptions in order to put together a $1.97 billion budget.

Their best guess: $77 million less than this year. If the cuts aren’t as severe, they can always tinker with the budget later.

MnSCU colleges and universities have been preparing for steep cuts over the last 18 months. They’ve laid off staff, cut some academic programs and cut others entirely.

The budget also holds a tuition increases for students. On average it’s a little less than 4 percent for community college students and just shy of five percent for students at state-run universities.